New Destiny
by Kartissa
Summary: An encounter with a Charmed One changes one man's life forever.
1. Magic

Disclaimer Notice: Charmed is the creation and property of Constance M. Burge. The characters of Piper and Phoebe Halliwell, Paige Matthews and Leo Wyatt are likewise not owned by me.

This story is completely unauthorised. I did not write it for financial gain, and am not receiving any money for either the writing or posting of this story.

* * *

It started on afternoon a few years ago. I'd just put on my new evening dress. Nothing too unusual, you might think, except that I wasn't going out anywhere. I wasn't even female. There was something about the smooth satin that made me feel comfortable. Not turned on, mind. I never got any kicks from that sort of thing. I've just always felt more relaxed in skirts. They felt right, somehow.

I like to think it's because of my sister. The one I never really had. My mother miscarried before I was born, and everyone thought she'd lost me. But out I came a week or so later, perfectly healthy. Carrie was stillborn. I've always believed we would have been close, but I guess I'll never know.

Or it could have been the Pill. I was a statistical minority. The one chance in a hundred when the contraceptive hormones failed, and those very chemicals messed up my developing brain. Without extensive tests and research, it's impossible to tell. I know which explanation I prefer, and it has nothing to do with science.

Whatever the reason, I had picked up quite a collection of feminine attire over the years. The new dress was one of a dozen such I'd bought from charity shops. One or two were still too big for me, but most fit perfectly. I'd spent a lot of time making sure of that. The one I was wearing that day was just a little loose around the chest, despite the padded basque underneath.

I've always thought there's little point in wearing dresses without the appropriate underwear. I even had a pair of matching high-heeled shoes to go with my gowns. Buying them had been scary. You can't really buy shoes second hand, so I went into a proper shoe shop. I didn't buy the first pair I saw and run out. I even asked to try them on before I paid. I can't imagine what the sales assistant thought of me. Nor do I really care.

Admiring myself in the mirror, I saw her appear behind me out of thin air, totally naked and facing away from me. Gentleman that I was, I closed my eyes before speaking.

"That's not something you see every day."

Although I couldn't see her, I heard her yelp and jump round to look at me. I turned slowly so that she could see my eyes were closed as she stammered the obvious questions. Who was I? Where was she? Where were her clothes? She didn't ask how she got here, which was good. I didn't have an answer for her. I answered the questions with one of my own. What size clothes she wore. Luckily for her, she and I were a match, so I pointed her to the suitcase under the bed, and left the room for her to dress in peace.

She took her time, no doubt exploring my bedroom to try and find out as much as she could about me before coming face to face once more. I'd expected that, and wondered what she'd make of me. Eventually she emerged, and came downstairs. Despite all the dresses and skirts in the suitcase, she'd gone for my black leather jeans with a matching bodice. As she peeked her head round the door to the living room, I caught a glimpse of a black bra strap, and guessed she was probably wearing the matching knickers.

Now I could see how beautiful she was. Dark brown hair framed a smooth face that could easily have graced a cinema screen. Intense brown eyes fixed on mine as she hesitantly entered the room.

"Come in," I said. "Have a seat." I gestured toward the sofa beside the door. She smiled as she sat down.

"Thanks," she said. "I'm, uh…. This is England, right?"

"Yes," I replied. "Nottingham, to be exact. My name's Kevin."

"Paige." Her name, presumably. "Is that calendar in your room accurate?"

"Actually that's last month. It's April now. Why?"

"April 2004?" She seemed a little upset.

"Yes." She slumped dejectedly. "Something wrong with that?"

"Only if you believe in magic."

"Paige," I began, "I just saw you appear out of thin air. I think I can be persuaded to believe in anything."

"Okay, how about if I tell you that I'm a witch, and that a demon I was fighting sent me back in time almost two years." she said.

"A witch?" I asked.

"A good witch," she said hurriedly. "I vanquish evil demons and protect the innocent."

"But this demon got the drop on you."

"My own fault," she admitted sheepishly. "I didn't wait for my sisters. They're witches too."

"And now you're stuck here in the past," I concluded.

"Yes. And I can't call my sisters to help, because…" she trailed off uncertainly.

"Because that never happened," I finished for her. "And it's a long time to wait."

Paige nodded sadly. That was when I realised she hadn't been looking at me since she'd confirmed the date. It crossed my mind that it could have been because I was still wearing my new dress. While I was comfortable with it, my guest probably wasn't. Especially as we'd only just met.

"Would you like a cup of tea?" I asked her, standing up. She replied positively, and I went to the kitchen. While the kettle boiled, I took the time to change into something more appropriate, so that when I returned to the living room, I was wearing denim jeans and a black t-shirt. Paige took her tea with a smile, now obviously more relaxed.

"I was just thinking," she began as I sat back in my armchair. "Maybe I did call my sisters, but I told them to keep what happened a secret. They'd do that, you know?"

"It's possible," I conceded. "I think we should leave that as a last resort, though. Is there any way you can get back to your own time without their help?"

She frowned, thinking about it. "I could work out a spell, I suppose. But I may not be powerful enough to cast it alone. And I still need to deal with that demon. I don't really know what it is."

"And you chased it anyway?"

"Hey, there wasn't time, okay?" she countered defensively. "I just meant to distract it. Stop it killing one of my charges. How was I to know it was some kind of time demon?"

"Research?" I supplied helpfully. "Did you save your charge?"

"I don't know. The demon may have hunted her down after sending me here," she said sadly.

"In that case," I said, "You've got the better part of two years to find out how to vanquish it."

That idea cheered her up. "You're right! And I've got plenty of time to work out that spell, too." A thought seemed to occur to her then. "Um…, I'm going to need a place to stay…."

"Don't worry," I said. I'd reached that conclusion, too. "I'll set up the spare bedroom for you. You'll want the suitcase too, of course."

"You don't mind me wearing your clothes?" Most people would have thought those belonged to a girlfriend or something. Mind you, most people hadn't seen me wearing a dress.

"They're meant to be worn," I replied, "and they'll probably suit you better than me anyway."

"I don't know," she said with a laugh. "That dress looked pretty good you."

"I have others that fit me better. You want to take a look?"

Research was slow, both with the demon and the spell. I was connected to the Internet, and knew a few Wicca sites, but not the right ones it seemed. Most of the ones I knew only listed the classical demons; Baal, Asmodeus, Moloch. None of whom had any connection with time travel. Paige's optimism with her spell was likewise misplaced without adequate research materials. After four fruitless days, she decided to throw in the towel.

"It's no good. We've got to get Phoebe to help." One of her sisters. The other was called Piper. Their mother had had a thing about P's, apparently.

"Can you trust her not to tell you?" I asked.

"I guess I'll have to," was Paige's response. "It'll be cheaper for you if I e-mail her, won't it?"

"Absolutely." A thought struck me then. "Actually, that might be better in another way."

"Another way?" She was puzzled.

"Well," I explained, "if she gets a letter from me explaining that a witch has been sent back from the future by a demon, then she doesn't actually need to be told who it is, does she?"

"No, she doesn't," Paige said slowly, a smile lighting up her face.

"And when you get home, you can tell her the truth about it all."

"I like that idea."

With Phoebe's help, the research was soon completed. Paige's assailant turned out to be a mid-level time demon called Rufio. He could transport people through time up to a hundred years and throw balls of lightning which could stun or kill as he chose. Since he was mid-level, there was a fairly easy vanquishing potion. Most of the ingredients I could buy at the local supermarket, but two of them required a specialist shop, as did several props for the ritual to send Paige home. An Internet search of local businesses provided what we needed.

The vanquishing potion took three hours to prepare. The ritual took longer, because we had to cast it at a specific time. Midnight at the next full moon, which was nearly three weeks away. Paige and I became close during those three weeks, although not as close as I would have liked. She had a husband waiting for her back in her own time, it seemed.

All too quickly, the full moon arrived, and Paige had to go back home. We set up the ritual circle in the spare room, and had often rehearsed the timing of each little step. It wasn't a complicated ritual, but it did have to be timed so that the final incantation occurred at the stroke of midnight.

Paige sat cross-legged in the middle of the circle, wearing the leather jeans and bodice she had put on that first day. The anti-Rufio potion was tied with a leather thong around her neck. I sat outside facing her. Candles were lit. Incense was sprinkled. Charms and incantations were spoken. As Paige finished the final chant, and the clock struck twelve, all the candles blew out at once. Without wind. Moonlight shone in from the window, and seemed to outline the circle with a pale silver light. As I watched, the light grew deeper. More intense. Swiftly, it seemed to spiral inward, focusing on Paige. As it got brighter, I thought I could almost see through her. Then the light blotted out everything for a brief flash, before vanishing.

When my eyes accustomed themselves to the moonlight, Paige had gone. But her potion hadn't. It sat forsaken in the centre of the circle. As I leaned forward to pick it up, there was another flash of light, accompanied by a loud boom, throwing me back outside the circle. A glowing ball of electricity illuminated a tall, dark figure. His bearded face showed a truly malevolent expression, and his eyes burned red in the gloom.

This was Rufio. Paige must have reached her destination, but without the potion which lay between Rufio's feet, she had been (would be?) unable to harm him. I remember wondering if she were dead. That was all I had time to think before the time demon threw his ball of lightning at me. I didn't have time to try to dodge it, but I was lucky. He didn't want to kill me outright. Just hurt me.

"Cursed witches," he snarled. "Just get you out of my way, and you come straight back for more." Another ball of lightning appeared in his hand. "Next time that Charmed bitch won't be so lucky."

I took that comment to mean Paige was still alive. But she wouldn't be for long. And neither would I if I didn't do something quickly. I looked down at the potion. It was much too far away for me to reach without getting fried to a crisp, but I still stretched out my hand toward it, wishing I could move things like Paige could. To my amazement, the potion leapt from the floor and into my outstretched hand. I almost dropped it in surprise, but realised the movement had distracted Rufio briefly. I threw the potion up at the demon. Not a very elegant throw, but I thought hard about wanting to hit him with it, and the potion flew further and more accurately than it should have, hitting Rufio in the centre of his chest.

As he looked down at it, his ball of lightning flickered and died. The potion spread out in a cloud around him, engulfing his upper torso. With a frantic expression, Rufio jumped back, trying to escape, but the cloud wouldn't leave him, expanding further down his body and legs. Within moments he was completely engulfed, and the smoke began to clear. At least that's what it seemed like at first. It took me a few seconds to realise that it was actually settling into a grey powder over his body. Rufio's movements slowed, and then stopped, as the powder seemed to harden into stone around him. Then it started to crumble. Bright light shone out of numerous small cracks as flakes of stone fell off, disintegrating before they reached the floor. Then with a roar and a flash of white light, it was over. I was once more alone in the room, staring at an empty circle illuminated by moonlight.


	2. Destiny

I had vanquished a demon. And I wasn't even a witch. Or was I? I remembered how the potion had moved without my touching it. Not quite like Paige had done it, but she had said her power worked differently to other witches, although she'd never explained why. Carefully, painfully, I stood and turned on the light to survey the room more clearly. The first thing I noticed was the clock on the wall. It had stopped! At first I thought it was a residual effect of the various temporal energies permeating the room, until someone cleared their throat behind me.

I span round, raising my fists defensively. I found myself facing a portly, white-haired gentleman wearing a white robe and carrying a plain wooden staff. He looked almost a complete contrast to my previous visitor. His knowing blue eyes showed both kindness and regret, and just a little annoyance.

"You don't need those," he said gently. "I mean you no harm."

For a moment, I wondered what he meant by 'those'. Then I saw them. Protruding from each fist were three spurs of twisted bone, each about a foot long and slightly curved. They reminded me of Wolverine's claws from the X-Men comics. I stared at them in surprise, relaxing my fists as I did so. The spurs swiftly and silently retreated into my hands, the cuts they sprang from closing up and healing as I watched. Within seconds, there was no trace that they had ever been there.

"That's better," my visitor said, suddenly attracting my attention. "Now we can get round to business."

"Who are you?" I was still a little suspicious, but this man was obviously more than he appeared.

"I am the Angel of Destiny," he said dramatically, "and I've come to change yours." That sounded so much like a cliché I almost laughed. He noticed, and smiled at me before continuing. "Assuming, of course, you want it changed."

"Changed how?" An obvious question.

"You've just helped a powerful witch return to her own time," he began. I decided not to be sarcastic. Something about teasing this gentleman just didn't feel right. "According to your original destiny, that would have been the end of it."

"Wait," I interrupted. "Are you saying I was destined to meet Paige?"

"Oh absolutely! Otherwise you wouldn't have been prepared."

"Prepared for what?" I was confused.

"Oh dear," he shook his head sadly. "I'll have to tell you things you shouldn't know, I suppose. Very well. You needed to recognise the reality of magic and the eternal conflict between Good and Evil."

"I already did." I had long had an interest in magic, and had a large collection of books on the subject.

"Only intellectually. You'd never actually had any experience of magic before Miss Matthews was sent here, had you?"

"No," I admitted. "So why did I need first-hand experience anyway?"

"I'm sure Miss Matthews explained that witchcraft is a family thing?" I nodded. "Well, every witch family has to start somewhere. And in your case, it's with you. Or rather, your daughter."

"My daughter?" Before Paige, I'd never met anyone I really wanted to date, let alone have children with.

"Don't worry, you've still got a few years before you have to worry about that. The point is that, well in modern terms, the witchcraft genes in you are fully developed, but weren't supposed to ever become active during your lifetime."

"But they have, haven't they?" I glanced down at my hands, remembering the claws. The Angel of Destiny nodded, ruefully.

"Indeed they have. Thanks to that demon you so ably vanquished a few moments ago, you are now a fully-fledged witch, with all the attendant powers and risks."

"Risks? What risks?"

"Yes," the Angel said thoughtfully, "I wasn't wrong about you. Risks such as demons and warlocks wanting to increase their powers by taking yours."

"Wonderful!" I said, sarcastically.

"That is, of course, assuming you wish to accept that destiny."

"I have a choice?"

"Of course. That's why I'm here. It is in my power to alter your entire future forever. As things stand now, you are a witch and will consequently be hunted down by the forces of Evil whether you use your powers or not. But your original destiny was a life without that danger. For you, at least. I can, if you so desire, restore that destiny to you, and you need never fear attacks from demons and the like."

"What do mean 'for me, at least'?" I asked, although I thought I already knew the answer.

"Your daughter will be a witch, whatever destiny you choose."

"How am I supposed to protect her if I'm not, then?"

"Her mother will do an admirable job, don't you worry."

"Her mother? Who…?

"That I cannot tell you. I would point out, though, there are many witches in the world, and they're not exclusive to America."

"Right. Paradox of prediction."

"Well, that's in your future. You still have to decide which future, mind."

"Do I have to choose right now?"

"No, not right now. Take some time to consider it. I'll come back in a day or so to see what you decide."

"Don't bother," I said abruptly. "I've already decided."

"Hasty decisions are often regretted."

"I know. But I have to protect my daughter, even if she won't be born for a couple of years. I'll probably need that time to learn my powers."

"Power. You only have one, although others may awaken if you are judged worthy."

"I've got two. The claws, and I used telekinesis to vanquish Rufio."

"Yes, and no." That confused me. "You used telekinesis, but it is not your power. Neither are the claws, directly, or the healing power which accompanied them."

"Well then…."

"You'll work it out, I'm sure!" The Angel smiled at me, knowingly. "I'll leave you to it, then."

There were no special effects, or flashes of light. He simply disappeared, in much the same way as Paige had originally appeared in my room. I heard the clock ticking, and realised that time had been frozen while we had had our conversation. I turned out the light, and went back to my own bedroom to think about everything that had happened.

The first thing I noticed was that my chest no longer hurt. Taking off the remains of my t-shirt, I saw the burns I had expected from Rufio's lightning ball were non-existent. It was as though I hadn't been hurt at all. I was also surprised to see my appendix scar had vanished. The Angel had mentioned a healing ability that came with the claws. Now I knew what he had meant. Again, I was reminded of Wolverine. Which made me think of Jean Grey, another X-Man, or woman in this case. She was telekinetic, and her power worked exactly like mine had.

So, three abilities, each of which copied a fictional character. Was that my power? Copying other peoples? That didn't seem right, somehow. Nor did it match anything Paige had told me about witches. It must be something else. What did Jean Grey and Wolverine have in common, besides being X-Men? Then I realised. They were both mutants, their respective powers stemming from a unique 'X' factor in their DNA. Somehow, I had acquired that X-factor briefly in order to use those powers. And there was one power Paige had told me about that might allow that. She had called it 'morphing,' explaining that it was one of the least useful powers a witch could have. Mostly, it was used to take the form of an animal, such as a dog or cat. Very few witches assumed more than one alternate form, and only warlocks and demons ever changed into another human form.

That worried me. Was I a witch or a warlock? Remembering something else Paige had told me, I searched my drawers for a badge and pierced my finger with its pin. Warlocks didn't bleed. I did. Logically therefore, most witches didn't use morphing to its full potential. Perhaps they were afraid of the power it gave them. I was. I knew X-Men was based on a long-running series of comics, and could name over fifty mutant powers detailed within those pages, some of which were almost godlike. If I could copy them, there was nothing I couldn't do. Even without the X-Men, my potential was immense.

I had to wait several days before I could begin to practice my new powers, revision for my university finals monopolizing my time. I was constantly on edge, expecting warlocks and demons to jump out at me whenever I was alone. Paige had told me that both sides tried to avoid exposing the magical world, although I didn't feel much safer in public places. There were many ways a demon could kill a witch, not all of them overt.

I was therefore relieved when I finally finished my exams and was able to concentrate on learning to use my new power and its unorthodox side-effects. First of all, I sat down with my comics and computer and compiled a list of all mutant powers described in the Marvel comic universe. During that endeavour, a stray thought made me add all other genetic-based powers in every comic and story I could think of. The final list was extensive, and included non-humans such as Superman, although I'd no doubt need to spend some time in sunlight to acquire the Man of Steel's signature powers.

From the start, I discarded all the characters whose powers included shape shifting. Since most of them did not copy other powers when changed, I didn't want to end up nearly powerless in a crisis by using their gift instead of my own. Although I knew I could use some powers without fully taking another form, I decided to start by perfecting my own shape changing ability. This proved surprisingly tricky. I had to mentally visualise the form I wanted to take and consciously will myself to change. The level of detail required resulted in my first attempts being a featureless humanoid shape. Fortunately there seemed to be some safety measure, allowing me to switch back to myself with a minimum of effort. (I eventually found out that animals were far easier to become, which was probably the reason witches tended to stick with cats or birds.)

Through regular use, my imagination and visualisation skills soon became good enough for me to take detailed human forms, even specific people. Once I'd reached that milestone, I started practicing using the powers of my shifted forms. I started with powers that weren't too destructive, such as telekinesis and flight. Once I felt I'd begun to master them, I tried to incorporate them into my natural form. This turned out to be easier than I had anticipated, presumably because I knew exactly what I wanted to do.

All the time I practiced, I kept a wary eye out for anything supernatural around me. The Angel of Destiny had told me I would be hunted now that I could use magic. This caution paid off one evening as I was walking home from a nightclub. I felt the warlocks before I saw them. A sense of someone watching me. When I looked round to see who it was, I saw nothing but a strange blur in the corner of my eye. A blur that came back as I turned away from it.

Not wanting to endanger innocents, I turned away from the main roads and headed down a quiet back-street. As I did so, I quickly reviewed the powers I had been practising, trying to determine which ones to use. Before I could make a conscious choice, the first warlock shimmered into view before me. Noises behind me announced the arrival of at least one more. Turning slightly, I backed toward a side wall and glanced back to see two warlocks. One brandished a knife, while the other held up her hand as a ball of fire flared into existence above it. The one in front of me chuckled as electricity arced across his forearm.

The first power I used against them was one I hadn't actually practiced. A mutant called Pyro, whose gift was the ability to manipulate flame. A quick thought directed at the ball of fire bouncing in the female warlock's hand caused it to flare up and engulf her. Although they recovered quickly, the other warlocks hesitated briefly, allowing me to set up another power. I placed myself between the two warlocks, facing the one who had appeared before me.

His reaction was exactly as I had hoped, hurling a bolt of lightning at me. Or rather, through me. I was no longer solid, having become immaterial as I turned, and his bolt struck the warlock behind me full on. Hearing metal strike the ground, I guessed he had dropped the knife and decided to use it. With the telekinesis I had exhibited against Rufio, I threw the knife toward the warlock before. If I was a little surprised when it phased right through my chest, the warlock was even more surprised. He made no attempt to dodge it or shimmer out as it embedded itself in his neck.

Fire spread out from the wound and quickly incinerated the body, leaving a slight scorch mark on the ground. A glance behind me revealed two more burn marks, marking the vanquished warlocks. The whole confrontation had taken only a few seconds, and appeared not to have attracted any attention. As I turned to continue on my way, I noticed the knife lying on the ground near what was left of the warlock. Not wanting to leave any evidence, I picked it up and took it home with me, considering the confrontation I had survived.

I had never used Pyro's gift, fearing it would be difficult to control, yet the fire had done exactly what I had intended and no more. Nor had I tried using more than one power at a time, yet it had proved far easier than I had thought it would. Indeed it had been almost instinctual, fortunately, otherwise I would have ended up with a knife in my back. Armed with that knowledge, I upped my training regime, employing more dangerous powers, and using two or more gifts at the same time.


	3. Witch

With the only demand on my time being a part-time summer job while my degree papers were assessed, I concentrated most of my efforts on magical research. Paige had had generations of spells and lore to rely on, while I had almost nothing. With Phoebe's help, I rapidly acquired a collection of potions and protective charms, along with descriptions of some of the more common magical creatures. Following her example, I recorded all this information in a Book of Shadows. (Two books actually. One for potions and spells and another for creatures, with references between them where necessary.)

I took a little more interest in local events, particularly unexplained deaths or disappearances. Now that I knew about demons and warlocks, some of the unusual cases made a lot more sense. Having made a contact in the police force while I worked for the university newspaper helped me there, and came in more than useful later in the summer.

Eventually my results came through, more or less as good as I'd expected them to be, and with them came confirmations of job offers I'd applied to throughout my final months studying. Since Paige's visit, I'd focused on companies with branches and offices in America, hoping to be able to transfer so I could be nearby when Paige confronted Rufio. Not that it really mattered. I knew the time and place, and knew several mutants who could teleport long distances. If it came down to it, I could fly, although there was more danger of being discovered that way.

After some consideration, I settled on a company that had just opened up an office in San Francisco. I couldn't start there, but the option to work in America was available, if I worked at it. My role was developing and maintaining the website, which, although challenging with specific goals and deadlines, did not take up much of my time. Also I had the choice to work from home much of the time, which gave me plenty of opportunity to fight the demons.

(Such as the time I had to infiltrate a warlock cabal. Since I was becoming quite well know among the local Underworld, I had to create a new identity. Using my shapeshifting, I decided on a woman I called Kartissa. The choice came about mainly to add an extra layer to the disguise, although the opportunity to wear some of my other clothes was probably a deciding factor. I played the part twenty-four hours a day for nearly two weeks before I was able to identify and vanquish every warlock in the cabal at one stroke. That action gained Kartissa quite a reputation in the Underworld, and to the best of my knowledge, none of them know she's not actually a warlock.)

I earned a transfer to San Francisco after about a year. The company helped me find an apartment there, but I had to arrange to transport my belongings there myself. Not really difficult when you can create teleportation portals between any two locations you know. (Of course, we're not supposed to use magic for personal gain, but technically the teleport discs aren't actually magic. Besides I couldn't afford regular freight or even storage while paying off my student loan.)

Most of my time in San Francisco was spent waiting for Rufio to show himself, since all the demon hunting was performed by Paige and her sisters. I was tempted to keep a close eye on them, but decided against it. Even with my shapeshifting, Paige might sense me and ask questions I didn't want answered. Instead I did as much research as I could on Rufio's motivations and methods, and visit the park where Paige would confront him.

It wasn't hard to piece together the most likely target for the time demon - a nascent witch, unaware of the nature of the battle between good and evil. He would follow his prey for several days to ensure they weren't connected to more powerful witches. Deep down, he was little more than a bully and a coward, trying to gain enough power to rise up the ranks of the demon hierarchy.

It took a little effort but I was able to attract Rufio's attention. As before, I was able to make and live a new identity for some time prior to the attack. (The company I worked for had to close down their offices following a fire, so I had plenty of time to myself.) I chose a woman again, since male witches are viewed as weaker in power, which may be why many of them tend to end up as warlocks.

I was a little nervous the day that Rufio was going to attack. Although I had a resilient body due to my shapeshifting, I didn't want the demon to attack early. If he didn't send Paige into the past, I would never get my powers and wouldn't be here. Since I didn't want another witch endangered, I had little choice, so I spent the day in public areas - shopping malls, bars and nightclubs - only heading off alone to the park as the time of the attack grew near.

When it happened, it was a great relief to me that it happened exactly as I'd hoped it would. I was walking through the park when Rufio stepped out of the darkness ahead of me, a glowing energy ball in his hand. I heard a voice shout a warning and ducked to the ground when he threw it at, and over, me. As Paige ran out, the demon turned to face her with a snarl. His eyes glowed and she simply vanished, her clothes falling in a heap on the ground. He turned back to me and Paige flashed into existence between us, facing Rufio. I smiled then, glad that our ritual had worked so perfectly as Paige raised her hand, hesitating when she discovered there was no potion in it. Rufio quickly unleashed an energy ball at her and she orbed out instinctively. The demon's eyes widened slightly at that. I don't think he'd realised who she was, but now that he did, he didn't want to play. Before Paige could rematerialize, his eyes lost focus briefly and he vanished with a flash.

Paige was a little upset when she orbed back. The first thing she did was call for the vanquishing potion as she looked around for Rufio. Not surprisingly, it failed to appear. After several tries, she gave up and turned to me.

"No time to explain, but we have to leave here now. He might come back any moment, and I don't seem to have my potion any more."

"You left it behind, Paige," I said standing up, smiling at the look of surprised confusion on her face. "And a good thing too. Rufio won't be coming back. Ever."

"How do you...," she began, before suddenly realising the answer to her questions. "Kevin?"

I nodded as I shifted back to my original form (although still wearing my disguise's dress). "Hello Paige. Turns out I'm a witch, thanks to you and Rufio. Well, mainly Rufio."

"You vanquished him?" she asked.

"With the potion you left behind," I replied. "He came after me as soon as he realised who you were." As I spoke, I picked up Paige's discarded clothes and passed them to her. "I'll tell you about it when we're somewhere out of the cold."

She laughed and orbed the two of us back to the Halliwell manor, where she introduced me to her sisters, and that's where I met your mother...

* * *

A light cough from the doorway interrupted the narration. The storyteller leaned closer to the little girl tucked up in bed.

"...But that story will have to wait for another night. It's late and you've got a big day tomorrow." Kevin brushed a lock of hair from the girl's face before continuing. "It'll be your first day at Magic School, and you know Auntie Paige will expect your best behaviour. She can't treat you any differently that any other student."

The girl nodded as her mother approached the bed. "Don't show up the other children with your powers either," she told her daughter. "And definitely don't upset Uncle Leo, or Aunt Piper will get cross with you."

"I promise." The little girl solemnly crossed her heart. Her mother smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Good. Now your father and I have things to do tonight, but Aunt Phoebe's just downstairs if you need anything. Goodnight, sweetie."

"Goodnight mum." The girl curled up under the covers. "Goodnight daddy."

"Goodnight Christie," replied Kevin, kissing his daughter and switching off the bedside lamp.

The two adults left the room, pulling the door half-closed before heading up to the attic.

"Well?" Kevin asked his wife.

"Golden Gate Park, and I think there's more than one of them."

"Then let's get to work." He shifted into Kartissa before continuing. "Yours or mine?"

"Mine," replied Billie, holding up a vial of dark liquid, before smashing it on the floor between them. With a flash of light and a puff of smoke, the two witches began their hunt.


End file.
